U.S. patent number 4,627,107 [Application Number 06/281,496] was granted by the patent office on 1986-12-02 for radio communications system including vehicle mounted and hand-held radio devices.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Robert Bosch GmbH. Invention is credited to Andreas Heymann, Rainer Hohlfeld, Hans Kader, Ralph Schwerin.
United States Patent |
4,627,107 |
Hohlfeld , et al. |
December 2, 1986 |
Radio communications system including vehicle mounted and hand-held
radio devices
Abstract
A radio system providing two-way radio communications between a
mobile radio transmitting and receiving station operating in a
first frequency range and a stationary radio transmitting and
receiving station operating in a second frequency range via a radio
broadcasting device disposed in a motor vehicle. The broadcasting
device includes a motor vehicle mounted radio transmitting and
receiving station as well as a motor vehicle mount which is
essentially provided with holding and connecting means for at least
two hand-held radio communications devices operating in the first
frequency range, a current supply circuit connected with the motor
vehicle battery and a function transfer device. One hand-held
communications device can be used as such a mobile radio
transmitting and receiving station outside the motor vehicle. Radio
communication takes place, in the first frequency range, from the
hand-held communications device used outside the motor vehicle via
the other hand-held device which is in its mount in the motor
vehicle and, in the second frequency range, from the other
hand-held device via the function transfer device and the motor
vehicle mounted radio transmitting and receiving station to the
stationary radio transmitting and receiving station and in the
opposite direction, in the second frequency range, from the
stationary station via the motor vehicle mounted station and the
function transfer device to the other hand-held device and, in the
first frequency range, from the other hand-held device to the one
hand-held device.
Inventors: |
Hohlfeld; Rainer (Berlin,
DE), Schwerin; Ralph (Berlin, DE), Kader;
Hans (Hennef, DE), Heymann; Andreas (Essen,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart,
DE)
|
Family
ID: |
6031510 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/281,496 |
Filed: |
July 6, 1981 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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195086 |
Oct 8, 1980 |
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11164 |
Feb 8, 1979 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/11.1;
455/346; 455/517; 455/90.3; 455/99 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04B
7/2606 (20130101); H04B 1/3822 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04B
1/38 (20060101); H04B 7/26 (20060101); H04B
007/15 (); H04B 001/40 () |
Field of
Search: |
;455/11,73,74,79,88-90,95,99,345,346 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
"Comco Model 812 Portacom Publication on All Solid-State
Mobile/Portable Transceiver", 1/29/74. .
Publication by Sonab on "Cassette Mobile Radios MRU08 and MRU16",
6/19/75..
|
Primary Examiner: Ng; Jin F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Spencer & Frank
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 195,086,
filed Oct. 8, 1980, now abandoned, itself a continuation of
application Ser. No. 011,164, filed Feb. 8, 1979 now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a radio system including a first hand-held two-way
communications device operating in a first frequency range, and a
radio broadcasting device disposed in a motor vehicle for
establishing two-way radio communication between the first
hand-held device and a stationary radio transmitting and receiving
station operating in a second frequency range, the radio
broadcasting device including a vehicle mounted radio transmitting
and receiving station operating in the second frequency range, a
mount disposed in the vehicle and configured for holding the first
hand-held device, and a power supply circuit connected to receive
power from a source in the vehicle, the improvement wherein:
said system further comprises a second hand-held, two-way
communications device operating in the first frequency range;
said mount is further configured for holding said second hand-held
device;
each said hand-held device is provided with external contacts;
and
said radio broadcasting device further comprises: electrical
connection means associated with said mount and connected to said
power supply circuit for establishing readily-disconnectable
connections with said external contacts of, and for supplying power
from said power supply circuit to, each said hand-held device when
that hand-held device is held in said mount; and function transfer
means disposed in said mount and connecting said electrical
connection means to said vehicle mounted station.
2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein radio communication takes
place in the first frequency range from said first communications
device located out of said mount and outside the motor vehicle via
said second communications device held in said mount, and, in the
second frequency range, from said second communications device via
said function transfer means and said vehicle mounted station to
the stationary station, and takes place in the reverse direction,
in the second frequency range, from the stationary station via said
vehicle mounted station and said function transfer means to said
second communications device and, in the first frequency range,
from said second communications device to said first communications
device.
3. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein radio communications in
both directions between said first communications device disposed
outside the motor vehicle and said second communications device
disposed in said mount takes place in the first frequency range
under control of said function transfer device.
4. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein: said vehicle mounted
station includes a signal reception monitor; said function transfer
means comprise a switching unit, a talk switch and a carrier
frequency control device, said talk switch being connected at its
input to said monitor of said vehicle mounted station and at its
output to one said communications device in such a manner that upon
receipt by said vehicle mounted station of a voice or audio
modulated carrier, the transmitting component of said second
communications device is keyed up; and said second communications
device also comprises a monitor connected to said vehicle mounted
station in such a manner that if the carrier is received by said
second communications device the transmitting portion of said
vehicle mounted station is keyed up.
5. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said mount is
additionally provided with connecting means for at least one of an
external loudspeaker disposed in the motor vehicle, a hand-held
microphone having a talk button and connectable with said vehicle
mounted station, and a second radio transmitting and receiving
antenna which can be connected with said second communications
device.
6. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said mount comprises two
chambers each arranged to hold a respective communications device,
and a further chamber disposed between said two chambers and
accommodating a portion of the circuit components of said
system.
7. A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said connection means
comprise contacts located in each of said chambers arranged to hold
one said communications device, and said external contacts of said
first communications device are located to establish electrical
connections with said contacts of said connection means when said
first communications device is inserted into a respective
chamber.
8. A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said mount comprises an
amplifier for amplifying audio frequency signals to be reproduced
by an external loudspeaker, said amplifier being provided with a
combined volume control and on/off switch, said function transfer
means comprises a switching unit provided with an actuating
element, and said amplifier switch and said actuating element are
located at an exterior surface of said further chamber.
9. A system as defined in claim 2 further comprising an antenna
mounted on the vehicle, constructed to operate in both the first
and second frequency ranges, and connected in signal conducting
communication with said vehicle mounted station and said second
communications device.
10. A system as defined in claim 1 further comprising a first
transmitting and receiving antenna mounted on the vehicle and
wherein radio communication in both directions between said vehicle
mounted station and said stationary station takes place under
control of said function transfer device in the second frequency
range via said first antenna.
11. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said mount comprises an
amplifier for amplifying audio frequency signals to be reproduced
by an external loudspeaker.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a radio system of the type
including a radio broadcasting device disposed in a motor vehicle
for establishing two-way radio communication between a mobile radio
transmitting and receiving station and a stationary radio
transmitting and receiving station.
It is known to effect radio comunications between mobile radio
stations via a stationary radio relay station, as described, for
example, by Werner Giese in the text Funksprechen [Radio Voice
Communication], published by Berliner Union, Stuttgart, 1971, at
pages 65 and 66. In this case either the simplex or duplex mode is
employed. In the prior art it was not possible, however, to
communicate directly or via a radio relay station between a
hand-held two-way communications device which operates, for
example, in the 2 m-band and a radio station which operates in
another frequency range, for example the 4 m-band.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide the possibility
for such communication.
Another object of the invention is to permit such communication in
a system offering a high degree of operating flexibility.
These and other objects are achieved, according to the invention,
in a radio system including a radio broadcasting device disposed in
a motor vehicle for establishing two-way radio communication
between a mobile radio transmitting and receiving station operating
in a first frequency range and a stationary radio transmitting and
receiving station operating in a second frequency range, by
constituting the broadcasting device of a vehicle mounted radio
transmitting and receiving station operating in the second
frequency range, a mount disposed in the vehicle for holding at
least two portable communications devices, electrical connection
means associated with the mount for establishing signal conducting
connections with a device held in the mount, a power supply circuit
connected to receive power from a source in the vehicle and to the
connection means, and function transfer means connecting the
connection means to the vehicle mounted station, by providing the
system with at least a first portable two-way communications
device, constituting one such mobile station, configured to fit in
the mount and provided with contacts connectable to the connection
means when the device is held in the mount.
One advantage of the radio system according to the invention is
that it makes possible radio communications of the RS2 type between
one hand-held two-way communications device operating in a first
frequency range and a stationary radio station operating in a
second frequency range via another hand-held, two-way
communications device and the motor vehicle radio transmitting and
receiving station which also operates in the second frequency
range. The RS2 mode operation is described in the book of F. W.
Rosemeier "Handbuch uber den UKW-Sprechfunk bei den
Sicherheitsdiensten", Carl Heymanns Verlag, MUnchen, 1971, p. 39 to
41.
Radio communication can also take place in the first frequency
range between the one hand-held device, or communicator, when it is
outside the motor vehicle and the other hand-held device disposed
in the motor vehicle. Finally radio communication can take place in
the second frequency range between the motor vehicle transmitting
and receiving station and the stationary radio station.
The basic radio system according to the invention can be subjected
to advantageous modifications and improvements to be described
below.
It is of particular advantage if the motor vehicle mount is
designed for two hand-held communicators, with each hand-held
communicator being accommodated in a respective chamber in the
motor vehicle mount and these chambers being separated from one
another by a further chamber which accommodates the major portion
of the circuit elements for the motor vehicle mount.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of a motor
vehicle mount for a radio communications system according to the
invention.
FIG. 2 is a simplified block circuit diagram of one preferred
embodiment of the radio communications system according to the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The motor vehicle mount 11 shown in FIG. 1 presents two chambers 12
and 13 each accommodating an approximateIy block-shaped hand-held,
two-way communications device 14, 15. The hand-held devices can be
pushed into the chambers from the front and in their inserted state
are automatically locked in place. In the inserted and locked
state, contact elements disposed at the lower frontal face of each
hand-held device 14, 15 and corresponding countercontact elements
in each of chambers 12, 13 are in engagement with one another. The
location of the contact elements and of the countercontact elements
is designated in FIG. 1 by the broken line 16.
Unlocking buttons 17 and 18 are provided at the frontal face of the
motor vehicle mount 11 for unlocking each of the inserted hand-held
devices 14 and 15.
A further chamber 19 is disposed between the two chambers 12 and 13
of the motor vehicle mount 11 for accommodating the major portion
of the circuit elements of the motor vehicle mount. Of these
components FIG. 1 shows only the operating elements of one switch
unit 20 including four push buttons 21, 22, 23 and 24 and a
combined volume control and on-off switch 25. A multiconductor
connecting wire 26 and an antenna cable 27 extend from the rear of
the mount 11. Connecting wire 26 connects the motor vehicle mount,
inter alia, in a manner to be explained below, with the motor
vehicle battery and with a motor vehicle transmitting and receiving
station. The antenna wire 27 is connected to an antenna of the
vehicle.
The motor vehicle mount 11 is releasably fastened in an
approximately U-shaped carrier bar 28 arranged to be fixed to the
interior wall of the motor vehicle, preferably below the
dashboard.
The circuitry and operation of the electrical portion of the radio
communication system 10 will be explained with reference to the
simplified block circuit diagram of FIG. 2.
In FIG. 2 the circuit portion enclosed by dot-dash lines is housed
in the motor vehicle mount 11, while the portion 10 enclosed by
broken lines is located in the vehicle and constitutes the motor
vehicle communication system. The mount itself is provided with a
number of terminals 29 through 46 of which the first terminal 29 is
connected to the signal input/output line of the one hand-held
device 15, the second terminal 30 is connected to the motor vehicle
battery 50, the third terminal 31 is connected to an external
loudspeaker 51, and the fourth and fifth terminals 32 and 33 are
connected to a hand-held, two-way transducer device 52 which
contains an electroacoustic transducer and includes a transmitting
key or button 53.
The sixth through tenth terminals 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 lead to a
motor vehicle mounted radio transmitting and receiving station 54
which is permanently installed in the motor vehicle. The motor
vehicle radio transmitting and receiving station 54 is connected
with a radio transmitting and receiving antenna 55 fastened to the
motor vehicle chassis. The eleventh terminal 39 of the motor
vehicle mount 11 is connected to a second radio transmitting and
receiving antenna 56.
The terminals 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 are brought to the
other hand-held device 14 and are designed in the form of plug-in
connections.
The motor vehicle battery 50 is connected to supply, via the second
terminal 30, battery voltage U.sub.B to one input of a
short-circuit-proof voltage supply circuit 57 and to a current
supply terminal 58 of an audio frequency amplifier 59 which
includes the combined volume control and on-off switch 25. The
supply circuit 57 furnishes two direct voltages U.sub.L1 and
U.sub.L2.
The voltage U.sub.L1 travels via terminal 42 to the hand-heId
device 14 inserted in the motor vehicle mount 11 and serves to
provide operating power or to charge or recharge the battery
disposed in this hand-held device. In an analogous manner, and for
the same purpose, the charging voltage U.sub.L2 travels via the
first terminal 29 to the hand-held device 15.
The current supply circuit 57 additionally furnishes a stabilizing
direct voltage U.sub.St which serves to supply current to a
function transfer device 60 and, via terminal 44, to the hand-held
device 14. The function transfer device 60, to be described below,
is in communication, via terminal 32, with the hand-held device 52;
via terminal 33, with the transmitting button 53; via terminals 35
to 38, with the motor vehicle transmitting and receiving station
54; and via terminals 40 and 43 to 46, with the hand-held device
14.
The function transfer device 60 includes the switch unit 20, a talk
switch 61, and a carrier control device 62.
The amplifier 59 has two signal inputs 63 and 64, input 63 being
connected, via the function transfer device 60 and the terminal 46,
with hand-held device 14 and input 64 being connected, via terminal
34, with the motor vehicle transmitting and receiving station
54.
The above-described radio transmitting device performs the
following functions.
When the hand-held device 14 is inserted and locked into chamber
12, connections are completed at terminals 40-46 and the following
switching actions are performed automatically:
(a) the built-in radio transmitting and receiving antenna 65 for
the device is switched off and, in its place, a connection is
established with the second radio transmitting and receiving
antenna 56 of the vehicle;
(b) the device 14 is no longer powered by its own NiCd battery, but
by vehicle battery 50 via terminal 30, supply circuit 57 and
terminals 42 and 44; and
(c) the internal listen/talk electroacoustic transducer of
hand-held device 14 is switched off and the hand set 52 and/or the
external loudspeaker 51 are connected to the audio frequency
electronic circuitry of device 14.
After inserting and locking in the hand-held device 15, its NiCd
battery is charged from the motor vehicle battery 50 without at the
same time making the device operational.
The switches required for switching on the two hand-held devices 14
and 15 are represented in FIG. 2 by the terminals 29, 41, 44 and 46
which are identified by two circles.
While the hand-held devices 14 and 15 are designed for operation in
a first frequency range, for example the 2 m-band, the motor
vehicle radio transmitting and receiving station 54 operates in a
second frequency range, preferably the 4 m-band. The motor vehicle
radio transmitting and receiving station 54 communicates with a
stationary radio transmitting and receiving station 66 which is
equipped for radio traffic in the first and the second frequency
range.
The following uses are possible for the present radio system:
1. Radio Relay Operation
(a) Radio communication from the hand-held communications device 15
via the radio communication system 10 to the stationary station
66.
To achieve this, the user depresses the button 24 on the switching
unit 20, shown in FIG. 1, and thus switches on the current supply
for the motor vehicle mount 11. He also depresses button 21 which
switches the radio system 10 to 4 m-band/2 m-band relay operation.
Then, by depressing the unlocking button 17, the user can remove
the second hand-held communications device 15 from the motor
vehicle mount 11 and leave the motor vehicle, carrying device 15
with him. Device 15 then functions as a hand-held, two-way radio
and is in the state 15' shown in FIG. 2 The hand-held devices 14
and 15 are then switched to the same intercom channel.
If now the hand-held device 15' transmits in the 2 m-band, this
transmission is received via antenna 56 by the hand-held device 14
disposed in the motor-vehicle mount 11. The hand-held device 14
includes, in the usual manner, a monitor which emits a certain
indication upon the receipt of the assigned carrier frequency so as
to turn on the transmitting part of the motor vehicle radio
receiving and transmitting station 54, this being effected via
terminal 43, carrier frequency control device 62 and terminal 37.
The carrier modulation of the hand-held device 15' is transmitted
in the 2 m-band to the hand-held device 14 and from there, via
terminals 40 and 38 and the motor vehicle transmitting and
receiving station 54, in the 4 m-band to the stationary radio
transmitting and receiving station 66.
(b) Radio communication from the stationary radio transmitting and
receiving station 66 to hand-held device 15.
The modulated carrier transmitted from the stationary radio
transmitting and receiving station 66 actuates a monitor included
in the motor vehicle radio transmitting and receiving station 54 to
cause it to emit an indication via terminal 36 to the carrier
frequency control device 62 when the carrier frequency is being
received. The demodulated voice signals, or audio frequency
signals, from the motor vehicle radio transmitting and receiving
station 54 constitute the criterion for the activation of the talk
switch 61. Only when both devices 61 and 62 have received an
indication will a further indication be generated which keys up the
transmitting portion of the hand-held device 14 via terminal 45.
The modulation, or information, of the stationary radio
transmitting and receiving station 66 is then transmitted in the 2
m-band by the hand-held device 14 to the hand-held device 15'
disposed outside the motor vehicle. The modulation can also be
monitored by means of hand set 52, via terminal 46, function
transfer device 60 and terminal 32.
2. Operation in the 2 m-band
2.1 Here buttons 23 and 24 must both be depressed. This switches
the radio communication system to the 2 m-band and switches off
both the talk switch 61 and the carrier frequency control device 62
because the motor vehicle radio transmitting and receiving station
54 is not needed. The user removes the hand-held device 15 from the
motor vehicle mount 11 and can communicate in both directions on
the 2 m-band from outside the motor vehicle with the hand-held
device 14 disposed in the motor vehicle mount.
2.2 With this variation, the radio communication takes place in the
first frequency range from the hand-held device 14 disposed in the
motor vehicle to the stationary radio transmitting and receiving
station 66 and vice versa via the radio transmitting device 10
without using the motor vehicle radio transmitting and receiving
station 54 and without use of the talk switch 61 and the carrier
frequency control device 62.
3. Operation in the 4 m-band
In this case, the user must depress buttons 24 and 22, which also
switches off the talk switch 61 and the carrier frequency control
device 62. The radio communication then takes place on the 4 m-band
between the motor vehicle radio transmitting and receiving station
54 and the stationary radio transmitting and receiving station 66.
The hand-held devices 14 and 15 are retained in the motor vehicle
mount 11 and are automatically recharged from the motor vehicle
battery 50.
Only in 2 m-operation is the modulation signal of the hand-held
device 15', as received by the hand-held device 14, made audible
via amplifier 59 in the external loudspeaker 51, the volume of
which is adjustable continuously or in stages by means of the
combined volume control and on/off switch 25.
The hand-held communications devices 14 and 15 are both of the same
type. Such a device is shown for instance in the book of F. W.
Rosemeier, "Handbuch uber den UKW-Sprechfunk bei den
Sicherheitsdiensten", Carl Heymanns Verlag, Munchen, 1971, p. 85
and 86. The hand-held device 52 (handset) provided with a
transmitting button 53 (key) is shown on page 84 of the same book.
The motor vehicle transmitting and receiving station 54 is, for
instance, of a type as shown and described on pages 83 to 85 of the
forementioned book. The current supply circuit 57 is of a type as
shown in the U.S Pat. No. 2,832,900. An example of the talk switch
61 is shown and described in the broshure VKD TM-Nt 422 of BOSCH,
Germany, published on June 12, 1977.
The electrical contacts 16 provided between mount 11 and hand-held
devices 14 and 15 respectively may be of the type as shown in the
U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,505.
An antenna, which can be used for two transceivers operating in
different frequency ranges are known by the U.S. Pat. No.
4,041,498.
It will be understood that the above description of the present
invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and
adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within
the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.
* * * * *